History

In 1977, the people of Wapello County voted to establish a county conservation board for the purpose of purchasing and developing lands of parks, hunting and fishing access and other recreational uses in the county.

Today all of Iowa’s 99 counties have a County Conservation Board. Wapello County was the 98^th county to establish its Board, consequently it is one of the youngest conservation boards in the state.

As of fall of 2016, the Wapello County Conservation Board manages twelve areas totaling over 2,077 acres. The board is also progressing toward additional purchases that will enhance our resource base and public property for its citizens. In combination, these areas provide extremely diverse habitats providing residents with a wide range of outdoor recreational activities such as picnicking, bird watching, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, cross-county skiing, camping, hunting and fishing.